What IAFD does

IAFD (Industrial Air Flow Dynamics, Inc.) is a vertically integrated specialty industrial services provider serving the natural gas power generation industry. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Cleveland, Texas after a 2020 relocation from Connecticut, the company designs, manufactures, and installs replacement fabric expansion joints, pipe penetration seals (marketed as RAP™ Seals), and HRSG liner plate systems for combined cycle and simple cycle power plants. Customers are enterprise-scale natural gas power plant operators across the United States, served through a single Texas manufacturing facility and a nationwide direct-employed field installation organization. Leadership includes founder Stephen Harrington as CEO and Ryan Sachetti as Executive Chairman; the company has been backed by Incline Equity Partners since a 2022 capital raise.

The company's product portfolio addresses three primary failure modes in natural gas combined cycle plants: gas turbine exhaust and HRSG ductwork expansion joint failures, pipe penetration seal degradation, and HRSG liner plate hot spots and insulation failures. Its proprietary technologies include the RAP™ Seal system for pipe penetration applications, an upgraded HRSG liner plate system developed over more than 15 years with reported zero failures across a decade of service, and anti-flutter expansion joint designs. Engineering engagements begin with root cause analysis, followed by custom design and in-house manufacturing of replacement products engineered to improve upon original OEM specifications across GE (including Flex Seals), Siemens, Mitsubishi, and Alstom equipment.

IAFD generates revenue primarily through project-based, custom-engineered contracts billed under one-time purchase agreements, supplemented by professional services revenue from plant evaluation assessments and field installation. Following its 2022 capital raise of approximately $88.38 million from Incline Equity Partners, IAFD has executed a roll-up acquisition strategy, adding Advanced Cooling Towers (June 2024) for cooling tower maintenance and repair and Upright Industrial Group (August 2025) for scaffolding, insulation, coatings, and heat tracing — broadening its single-vendor turn-key service platform into a multi-discipline power plant services group branded as IAFD Service Group.

Name

IAFD

Legal name

Industrial Air Flow Dynamics, Inc.

Website

https://iafdinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

IAFD (Industrial Air Flow Dynamics) designs, manufactures, and installs custom fabric expansion joints, pipe penetration seals, and HRSG liner systems for natural gas combined cycle and simple cycle power plants across the United States through an in-house turn-key engineering, manufacturing, and field services platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Glastonbury

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Expansion Joint Systems: Design, manufacture, and installation of fabric expansion joints for combustion turbines and HRSG duct work. Includes root cause analysis of joint failures and improved replacement products.
2. Pipe Penetration Seals: Custom RAP™ Seals engineered and manufactured for specific HRSG applications. Each seal is custom-made based on engineering analysis of the specific location, temperature, and movement requirements.
3. HRSG Liner Plate Systems & Repairs: Replacement and upgrade systems for internal liner plates, doors, and gas baffles in HRSG units. Includes root cause analysis, repair of weaknesses, and material improvements.
4. Plant Evaluations: Comprehensive assessment service including field inspection, documentation, thermography, and digital reports with repair recommendations and five-year maintenance planning.
5. Field Installation Services: On-site installation of IAFD products performed by company employees (not subcontractors) using fully equipped service trucks.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IAFD designs, manufactures, and installs custom-engineered fabric expansion joints, pipe penetration seals (RAP™), and HRSG duct/liner replacement systems for natural gas power plants. The company operates three fully integrated in-house divisions—Engineering (root cause analysis and custom design), Manufacturing (production in Texas), and Field Services (on-site installation by company employees)—delivering turn-key solutions that replace failed components and improve upon OEM specifications for combined cycle and simple cycle power plants nationwide.

Product overview

IAFD (Industrial Air Flow Dynamics) is a provider of specialized sealing and ductwork systems for natural gas power plants. The company operates through three integrated divisions: Engineering (root cause analysis and custom design), Manufacturing (domestic production in Texas), and Field Services (on-site installation by direct employees). Core products include Expansion Joint Systems (combustion turbine and HRSG/duct applications), RAP™ Seals (pipe penetration seal systems), and HRSG Liner Plate Systems, all sold alongside Plant Evaluations and Engineering Services for a turn-key solution. The company has expanded its service portfolio through acquisitions: Advanced Cooling Towers (ACT, 2024) adds cooling tower maintenance and repairs, while Upright Industrial Group (UIG, 2025) adds scaffolding, insulation, coatings, and heat tracing services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IAFD Service Group: The expanded service platform combining IAFD's core offerings with acquired companies Advanced Cooling Towers and Upright Industrial Group for comprehensive power plant services.

Products and services

• Expansion Joint Systems Replacement fabric expansion joints for combustion turbines and HRSG/duct work applications, compatible with OEM turbines including General Electric (Flex Seals), Siemens, Mitsubishi, and Alstom. Includes root cause analysis, improved fabric options, and complete frame-and-fabric drop-in systems for natural gas power plants.
• RAP™ Seals (Pipe Penetration Seal Systems) Custom fabric-based pipe penetration seals designed for HRSG units with thermal barriers, high-temperature flexible materials, and clamping systems. Suitable for roof, floor, and side wall applications; replaces mechanical slip and metal bellow styles.
• HRSG Liner Plate Systems Internal liner plate repair and replacement systems for HRSG units, including root cause analysis, upgraded attachment methods, and insulation reinstallation. Covers gas baffle repairs and complete casing replacements for natural gas power plants.
• Plant Evaluations Proprietary assessment program providing comprehensive analysis of expansion joints, pipe penetration seals, and duct work with actionable recommendations including condition scoring, thermography, and five-year maintenance planning for natural gas power plants.
• Field Services Installation On-site installation of IAFD products performed by trained company employees (not subcontractors) using fully equipped mobile service trucks, covering all OEM turbine and HRSG applications nationwide.
• Manufacturing Services State-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Texas producing joints, seals, and components of all sizes for domestic shipment across the United States to natural gas power plants.
• Advanced Cooling Towers (ACT) Cooling tower inspection, maintenance, and repair services including structural and mechanical repairs, wood-to-FRP retrofits, basin repairs, fan systems, gearboxes, and thermal upgrades (fill media, distribution systems) for power plants and industrial facilities.
• Upright Industrial Group (UIG) Scaffolding, shoring, engineering, equipment rental, protective coatings, sand blasting, insulation, heat tracing, mobile blanket shop, and general labor services for natural gas power plants and other industrial facilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Savings of millions of dollars in maintenance spend and avoided lost revenue from unplanned outages
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Upright Industrial GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025IAFD acquired Upright Industrial Group in August 2025, adding capabilities in scaffolding, shoring, lagging/insulation, industrial coatings, and heat tracing. Upright serves customers across natural gas power plants and other industrial facilities. The founders, Jake Hutson and Pete Shimmen, continue to lead the business.
• Advanced Cooling Towers (ACT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024IAFD acquired Advanced Cooling Towers in June 2024, expanding services to include structural and mechanical repairs, wood-to-FRP retrofits, basins, fan systems, gearboxes, and thermal upgrades such as fill media and distribution systems. This acquisition broadened IAFD's turn-key solution offering.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Babcock Power: Provider of engineering, manufacturing, and field services for power generation equipment, including HRSG and heat exchanger components. Directly comparable to IAFD as a multi-disciplinary power plant specialty services and manufacturing firm serving US utilities.
• Team Industrial Services: Industrial services provider delivering on-site maintenance, inspection, and repair solutions to the power generation and process industries. Comparable to IAFD's field services model with direct-employee installation crews executing outage and turnaround work.
• Mistras Group: Provider of non-destructive testing, inspection, and asset protection solutions to power, oil & gas, and process industries. Comparable to IAFD in delivering specialized on-site engineering services tied to outage-driven inspection and component replacement work.
• BrandSafway (Brand Industrial Services): Industrial services company offering scaffolding, insulation, coatings, and specialty services to power plants and heavy industrial facilities. Highly comparable to IAFD's newly acquired Upright Industrial Group capabilities and to IAFD's broader turn-key outage model.
• AP Services Group (APSG): Provider of engineered equipment, field services, and outage support for power generation customers. Directly comparable to IAFD as a specialty power plant maintenance and equipment platform with similar outage-driven service model.
• Garlock (EnPro Industries): Manufacturer of gaskets, sealing products, and fluid containment solutions for industrial and power applications. Comparable to IAFD in the design and manufacture of high-performance sealing products, including expansion joint and penetration seal-adjacent offerings.
• Klinger (Rich. Klinger): Manufacturer of gaskets, sealing products, and expansion joint technology serving process and power industries globally. Comparable to IAFD as a specialty manufacturer of sealing and joint components for high-temperature industrial applications.

Broad incumbents

• Senior plc: Global manufacturer of high-precision engineered components and fluid conveyance systems for aerospace, defense, and industrial markets including power generation. Comparable to IAFD as a broader industrial component platform with power-adjacent product lines.
• CIRCOR International: Manufacturer of flow control, valve, and sealing products for power, oil & gas, and process industries. Comparable to IAFD's component manufacturing model in the industrial fluid handling and sealing space, with broader scale and diversification.

Others

• Swagelok: Manufacturer of fluid system components including fittings, valves, and sealing products serving power, chemical, and industrial markets. Adjacent to IAFD as an enabling component supplier into the power generation ecosystem rather than a direct HRSG outage services competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/IndustrialAirflowDynamics
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/industrial-air-flow-dynamics-inc.
• Instagraminstagram.com/iafdinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IAFD